Abstract
Crohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatory disease whose etiology and pathogenesis remain unknown. It may involve the entire gastrointestinal tract, although small bowel and colon account for 98%. More than two-thirds of the cases involve the terminal ileum, and in 10%–20% other areas of the small bowel are also affected. The incidence in Western countries is 2–4 newly diagnosed cases/100,000 inhabitants/year, and the prevalence is 30–50 patients with Crohn’s disease/100,000 inhabitants. While the peak occurrence is between the ages of 15 and 35 years, it has been reported in every decade of life. A familial incidence has been recorded with estimates that 2% to 5% of patients with Crohn’s disease will have one or more relatives affected.
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© 1998 Springer-Verlag Italia, Milano
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Arrigoni, A., Pennazio, M., Rossini, F.P. (1998). Crohn’s disease. In: Rossini, F.P., Gay, G.J. (eds) Atlas of Enteroscopy. Springer, Milano. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-2191-4_22
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-2191-4_22
Publisher Name: Springer, Milano
Print ISBN: 978-88-470-2193-8
Online ISBN: 978-88-470-2191-4
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